The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1887-04-29

esting scenes--A Gentle Clerks Hard
Trial-Idle Girls and working Girls.
| New York, April We girls Of the
metropolis are in the very thick of spring
shopping. Don't be alarmed. | am not
going to write fashion article. l have
set out to tell of some curious things
seen during weeks round of the big
stores At one side of a counter stood a
most immaculate clerk, masculine, while
at the other sat fair customer, feminine.
His hands quivered, his eyes filed with
tears, his replies to her casual questions
grew incoherent, and, finally with sigh
that almost rent his moderate bulk, and
grip of his infinitesimal forehead be-
tween his trembling palms, he dashed out
of the room
| What, in the name of goodness, is the
matter with the fellow?" Inquired of the
superintendent of the department, after
he had detailed another clerk to attend to
the fair customer.
ION the positive quiet" he replied, II
don't mind telling you. The young man
is a rejected sutton of the lady. She is
going to be married to another. She is
purchasing bridal outfit. To take an
active share in the making up of her
trousseau was more than he could
stand Sect"
One common species of fraud is worked
by means of an auction sale of paint
ings. Broadway is never for long spell
free of this trap for the unwary. A
store is hired for low rental, under an
agreement to get out whenever aperma-
nent occupant can be obtained. A lot of
pictures drawn by means of stencils and
colored daubingly are exhibited in bright
frames. A red flag calls people in. The
auctioneer lies glibly as to the mournful
sacrifice of art treasures. If the bidder
relies upon the lowness .of his offer for
escape from a purchase he is mistaken,
for hardly any sum can be SO small as
not to leave margin of profit on these
things. The novelty of concern now
open near Madison Square is young
woman who personates detected artist.
She is clothed in woe and shabby gar
ments, but manages, nevertheless, to be
jaunty and attractive. 1t is her duty to
pretend that she painted several of the
canvases offered for sale, and through
a stool-pigeon the intended victim is as
sured that nothing short of abject poverty
would impel her to let them be sold SO
cheaply. We all sympathize with beauty
in distress, and have no doubt that inn
posture is remunerative.
Well, it is astonishing what chances
and risks men will take even in the way
of presumably conservative business. In
one of the largest of our dry goods stores
credit can be obtained with the smallest
of formality and fiimsiest of guarantee
The wife or daughter of any reputable
citizen can run an account there, and it
might be supposed that the volume of
bad debts would be enormous, but the
belief of the merchant is that his sales
are sufficiently increased to cover the
losses. His doctrine is that the shop
pers not only buy in his store instead of
elsewhere, because real money isn't de-
mandeo, Dut tnat their purchases are
heavier for the same reason. His rival
says that he is reckless, and will slump
into bankruptcy one of these days, but
lor the present ne seems Immensely
prosperous.
You will not doubt the shrewdness of
this same merchant after have told you
that he puts the prettiest salesgirls at
Inarrn
One of them lately remarked to friend
of her own sex: mot five fellows in
hundred admit, when asked at my
counter the size of a glove they wear,
that they know the right answer. Theys
invariably require to have their hands
measured. Now, you can't tell me
they forget the number of their feet
when they go to buy ready made shoes.
Why, I had customer who wasn't salts
fed with the usual measurement round
his knuckles, but made me ascertain the